Wedding – user's Blog!

February 2, 2018

Beautiful Bridesmaid Dresses on a Budget

Being part of a wedding party is an exciting honor, but it’s also an expensive one. With shower gifts, bachelorette festivities and everything in between, accepting a role as a bridesmaid is also accepting a big hit to your wallet. One thing that doesn’t have to be pricey: the bridesmaid dresses. There are so many options that are simple, stylish and, yes, affordable. Whether you’re the bride picking out matching frocks for your besties or a maid of honor gently advocating for more affordable bridesmaid dresses, check out these fabulous and frugal finds.

Scarlett Sleeveless Empire-Waist Dress

Lace cap sleeves, a sweetheart neckline and an empire waist make this dreamy little dress a classic and super-flattering choice. And at $90, bridesmaids can wear it once and then ditch or donate without guilt.

Scarlett Sleeveless Empire-Waist Dress

from JCPenney

Melrose Sleeveless Embellished Fit-and-Flare Dress

Since this dress is available in multiple soft hues, bridesmaids can mix or match down the aisle for just $65 a person. The crisscross embellished top slims, while the mid-length flare skirt flows beautifully on all body types.

Melrose Sleeveless Embellished Fit-and-Flare Dress
from JCPenney

Tricks of the Trade Maxi Dress

Look like a Grecian goddess walking down the aisle in this versatile and stunning number. At only $80, it’s like getting four dresses for the price of one, since it can be wrapped and worn multiple ways (as a one-shoulder, cross-front, strapless or halter style). The jersey knit hugs and flatters curves, and, better yet, each bridesmaid can choose which configuration suits her body best.

Tricks of the Trade Maxi Dress

from Lulu’s

Falling for You Maxi Dress

A stunning rusty-rose color and sheer straps that overlay a strapless sweetheart bodice make this cascading gown a dress to remember — at a bargain price of $91.

Falling for You Maxi Dress

from Lulu’s

Flare Dress With Pockets

Navy is a classic choice for bridesmaid dresses, and this retro-inspired number is a reserved but playful (can you say “pockets”?) choice. The bateau neckline and gathered high waist exude ceremony-worthy sophistication, while the flare bottom screams party time! Best of all, you can justify the sensible $119 price tag, since this re-wearable frock will never go out of style.

Flare Dress With Pockets

from ModCloth
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Faux-Wrap Midi Dress

Easily dressed up for the big day or toned down for work, this bright midi dress is equal parts fun and practical — and for $58, it’s a steal you can wear again and again. Plus, the faux-wrap style cinches waistlines for a more flattering fit.

Faux-Wrap Midi Dress

from Kohl’s

Sequin Lace Gown

This elegant gown features an intricately embroidered lace bodice with sequin accents and a sheer illusion neckline and back. The vibrantly deep eggplant purple is not for the wallflower bridesmaid, but at just over $100 it’s a lot of dress for not a lot of money.

Sequin Lace Gown

from Bluefly

Sweetheart Lace Skater Dress

Discount bridesmaid dresses don’t have to be frumpy or unflattering. Available in blush, navy and burgundy hues, this adorable crochet skater dress is simultaneously sweet and sexy, flirty and fun — all for less than $50.

Sweetheart Lace Skater Dress

from Charlotte Russe

September 28, 2017

Guest Essentials to Make Your Fall Wedding the Coziest Event of the Season

From foliage color tours to toasty bonfires, fall is a particularly romantic season — especially if you’re planning a wedding ceremony. Autumn is an ideal time to pull from natural elements, seasonal favorites and elevated extras to make your nuptials a party for wedding guests to remember. Here are five ideas — ranging from wedding favors to wedding decorations — to consider.

Play with Pumpkins

From lattes to storybook carriages, people go mad for pumpkin come fall. And although the idea may seem commonplace, there are plenty of possibilities to incorporate pumpkins into your wedding in a way that feels meaningful and special. Try artfully etching these gourds and lining them up to create a magical path, or carving initials into them as unique place settings. You can also play around with shape and size, crafting a centerpiece out of mini ’kins. Decorative pumpkins, such as this set from Oriental Trading Company, are affordable and easy to work with.

Decorative Minature Pumpkins
from Oriental Trading Company

Sweeten Up with S’mores

S’mores may seem like a summertime campfire staple, but they’re equally appreciated in colder months. Try incorporating them as a late-night pick-me-up for guests. Set up a fire pit and build a s’mores station for guests to help themselves to the saccharine sweet, and then send them home with a sweet treat like these Milk Chocolate Gourmet S’Mores from Macy’s. Elevate this idea by allowing your guests to light sparklers as they toast their marshmallows.

Milk Chocolate Gourmet S’mores
from Macy’s

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Blanket a Barn Venue

Barns lend themselves well to the crisp vibes of a fall wedding. A florist can help transform these eclectic spaces from a place where horses live to a fairy-tale setting for the most memorable night of your life. Experiment with twinkling lights, autumnal blooms and a rustic decor to really set the tone. You can also decorate with blankets for guests to get really comfy. These cozy gray blankets from Target are an affordable option.

Fuzzy Blanket
from Target

Heat Things Up with Hot Chocolate

Warm beverages are one of the simple luxuries of the fall season. We all look forward to curling up with a pumpkin spice latte or a frothy cappuccino come autumn. Bring the magic to your big day by setting up a hot chocolate or latte station for guests to help themselves. Stock up on toppings for hot chocolate — whipped cream, chocolate shavings, cinnamon and mix-ins. You can also create your wedding cocktails around a hot toddy theme. You can even send guests home with their own, such as this Hot Cocoa from Ghirardelli.

Hot Cocoa Mix
from Ghirardelli Chocolates

Send Your Guests Off Warmly

A fall wedding presents possibilities to customize the favors in step with the season. Keep guests feeling warm and toasty by giving them scarves, mittens or earmuffs. These sartorial goodies will keep them warm well into the winter and give them a loving reminder of your special day. We love the classic looks from L.L. Bean.

Irish Lamb’s Wool Scarf
from L.L. Bean

June 27, 2017

How I Saved More Than $1,600 on My Wedding

My fiancé, Ryan, and I are planning a wedding in Healdsburg, California, in the heart of wine country. Like so many couples, we’re learning that planning a wedding means lots of shopping. Whether it’s paper for invitations or ties for your groomsmen, spending becomes second nature. So, as a bride with a budget she’d like to stick to, I’m obsessed with getting the best deals when I can. Thankfully, Ebates helped me save on so many wedding essentials, such as invitations, decor, attire — even our honeymoon. In this series of posts, you’ll get a chance to see exactly how much I was able to save and how.

According to The Knot, the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. in 2016 was $35,329. That’s the average, which means plenty of couples are shelling out more than that. Although it’s tough to fight the fun and adorable trend of enhancing the guest experience (we all want the most memorable wedding nowadays), that trend can throw your budget into a tailspin.

Thanks to some crazy, unheard of (but very real) savings through Ebates stores and incredibly easy Cash Back at Ebates, my fiancé and I were able to save more than $1,600 on our wedding.

During this series of posts, I’ve been through invitations, save-the-dates, honeymoon travel, wedding decor, attire and gifts for the bridal party — some of the unavoidable expenses that can really add up. But we did so much saving. Let’s break down the ways to save money on wedding details that matter:

Invitations

Our save-the-date cards and invitations were unique, personalized and so very us. They also ended up costing only about one-third of what we had budgeted for them.

Savings

Total saved on invitations and save-the-date cards: $124

To recap, we downloaded a PDF design for the save-the-date cards from Etsy, where we also purchased a personalized stamp with our return address. Then we printed the cards through Vistaprint and the envelopes at home (on our old-school printer) with cartridges from InkCartridges.com. To save ourselves the hassle, we decided to do a one-stop shop for our invitations by designing and printing them at Wedding Paper Divas.

Overall, we saved roughly $124 and spent just under $265 on invitations and our save-the-date cards. That’s about $200 less than the national average and $135 less than our budget. Check!

Honeymoon

Savings

Total saved on honeymoon: $502

Finding savings at Ebates on our honeymoon was one of the most rewarding wedding-planning tasks on our list. Not only could we plan an amazing adventure, but we could also see the dollar signs go down with each booking. Our Croatian adventure would take us from historic Dubrovnik and Split up the coast to the Istria peninsula and finally out to the island of Hvar. To start, we saved $300 on our round-trip flights at Expedia. We continued to save as we pre-booked hotels at Hotels.com and Expedia. Again, we purchased some amazing excursions — including a food and wine tour and a boat ride through naturally glowing caves — at Expedia and Orbitz. (Yes, Expedia nailed it on pretty much everything.)

In sum, we saved just over $500 on our honeymoon — all through Cash Back at Ebates.

Decor

Savings

Total saved on wedding decor: $205

Ah, decorations. Because Ryan and I are both busy but also shared a vision for a particular look for the big day, shopping at Ebates stores made our decor selection better than expected. It was also much easier to save money on wedding decor than we were expecting. We started with some romantic and rustic globe lights from Lighting Direct for our Northern California wedding. Then we lit up a few other tree trunks in the surrounding area with solar-powered string lights from Overstock. For centerpieces, we opted for simple candles, glass votive holders and adorable agate photo holders (which we used to display our table numbers) from Pier 1 Imports. The Container Store’s milk-glass bottles made perfectly rustic flower vases, and Ghirardelli chocolate squares and olive-oil-filled swing-top bottles from Michaels completed our place settings.

All in all, we saved more than $200 on our decor, and we were able to nail the look. (Did I mention it was rustic?)

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Attire

Savings

Total saved on wedding attire: $600

It was unbelievable to tally the actual savings from our attire shopping. We hosted an entire weekend of events for our semi destination wedding, and I was able to score my more casual white dress at JCPenney and fun floral shoes at Macy’s. We also were able to get some wedding-day attire at some Ebates stores. Ryan’s blue wedding-day suit came from Men’s Wearhouse, and his light brown leather oxfords and my sweet blush heels (so comfortable for the vineyard!) were from Macy’s. Our groomsmen looked dapper in their wine-colored bow ties and leather suspenders we purchased for them at Men’s Wearhouse and the Belt Outlet, respectively.

We saved $600 — a huge win for our wedding budget.

Bridal Party Gifts

Savings

Total saved on bridal party gifts: $470

Our bridal party was so special to us, and we loved every minute of the wedding day, including the time we spent getting ready with our bridesmaids and groomsmen. As a thank you, Ryan supplied the guys with awesome (and really handsome) bow ties and leather suspenders (see above). I gave my favorite ladies cute “Mornings Are for Mimosas” tank tops from Design by Humans, etched and personalized stemless wine glasses from Things Remembered (to hold said mimosas), prints from Minted with each person’s astrological sign over watercolor and a card from Greeting Card Universe. Our parents were also a huge part of the day, so we felt they deserved some great gifts too. We started with a classic picture frame from Things Remembered, personalized and framed with a sweet note, and also gave the moms 90-minute massages and the dads a round of golf — all from Groupon.

To sum it up, we were able to save $470 on gifts to show our bridal party and parents how grateful we were that they were there with us on our wedding day.

Total Savings

Total saved on wedding at Ebates: $1,650

Overall, our wedding saw some incredible savings, and we didn’t have to sacrifice anything to make it work within our budget. Thanks to coupons we found at Ebates stores and Cash Back at Ebates, we were able to put $1,650 back in our pockets. Now that’s a wedding savings plan.

June 13, 2017

How I Saved More Than $1,600 on My Wedding: Bridal Party Gifts

My fiance, Ryan, and I are planning a wedding in Healdsburg, California, in the heart of wine country. Like so many couples, we’re learning that planning a wedding means lots of shopping. Whether it’s paper for your invitations or ties for your groomsmen, spending becomes second nature. So, as a bride with a budget she’d like to stick to, I’m obsessed with getting the best deals when I can. Thankfully, Ebates helped me save on so many wedding essentials, such as invitations, decor, attire — even our honeymoon. In this series of posts, you’ll get a chance to see exactly how much I was able to save and how.

Weddings can be expensive for brides and grooms. This we know.

The cost for the bridal party to be in a wedding, though not nearly as much, is also high. Asking someone to be in your wedding is a commitment, which is why thanking them for making that commitment (and doing it with a huge smile) is essential.

Giving groomsmen and bridesmaids gifts is one of the best ways to show your gratitude to some of your favorite people. We also wanted to give our parents something special to thank them for all their help (not to mention years of support).

Ryan and I were able to save almost $500 on some really meaningful and fun gifts. Here’s how:

Bridesmaids Gifts

With a bridal party filled with sisters and friends, I wanted to make sure every one of them understood they were special to me. Standing up for someone at their wedding isn’t the cheapest of endeavors, nor the most convenient. But they were all there for me during the planning process and on the wedding day. It was so fun to spend the early part of the day with my best friends, getting our hair done and telling stupid jokes.

This camaraderie was even more fun when I presented them with a few little gifts. First, these “Mornings Are for Mimosas” racer-back tanks from Design by Humans were perfect for getting ready. They were loose enough to slip over our heads without messing up our gorgeous wedding hair, and they inspired a sort of pride in our pre-noon cocktails. Since the wedding was taking place at a winery, some wine-themed bridesmaids gift ideas were in order. I purchased these etched stemless wine glasses, personalized for each bridesmaid. The wine glasses were 20% off and even more discounted thanks to a BOGO coupon at Things Remembered, which also offers 6.5% Cash Back at Ebates. The savings on the wine glasses was huge, and they turned out to be as adorable as they were useful that day.

I also wanted a gift that was somewhat nicer and reflected something that was personal to me. I opted for these astrology art prints from Minted.com, which was offering 10% Cash Back at the time I purchased them.

And to top it off, I wrote each bridesmaid a very simple thank-you note with adorable greeting cards from Greeting Card Universe. I thought that, plus all my thanks during the big day, would come close to showing them each how much it meant to have them standing up there with me.

Savings

Ebates Cash Back savings: $30

Total saved on bridesmaids gifts: $100

Groomsmen Gifts

Ryan decided our gift to the groomsmen would be part of their attire for the day. It was also a great way, Ryan pointed out, to make sure they wore the same thing and looked snappy (they did). In the end, the groomsmen’s look was one of my favorite visuals of the entire day. The bow ties and leather suspenders came together perfectly for a sophisticated but wine-country-chic look. Plus, going jacketless was the casual touch that helped Ryan’s baller suit stand out so well.

Our Cash Back button told us there was a buy-one-get-one-free coupon available at Men’s Wearhouse for ties and an additional 50% off additional items — plus free shipping and 4% Cash Back — so we scooped up some classy bow ties for the guys that were perfect for our winery wedding. The tan leather suspenders we purchased from the Belt Outlet — where we enjoyed 5% Cash Back at Ebates — were 25% off and included free shipping, saving us a ton.

Savings:

Ebates Cash Back savings: $15

Total saved at Men’s Wearhouse: $140

Total saved at Belt Outlet: $65

Total saved on groomsmen gifts: $220

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Parents

Although they weren’t technically part of the bridal party, our parents were an important part of the day for us. We believed they deserved a little special recognition, and decided to shower them with a couple gifts to show our love and appreciation.

For both sets of parents, we landed on etched frames from Things Remembered, personalized with a picture of the three of us and a sweet note. The frames were on sale, thanks to a buy-one-get-one-half-off deal at Things Remembered and a 20% off coupon for personalized items I discovered with the handy Ebates Cash Back button in my browser. Then, of course, the store’s 6.5% Cash Back saved us even more.

We also wanted to give the moms and dads separate experiences that would relax them and make them feel special. For the moms, we landed on massages. In hindsight, maybe we were thinking more about what we wanted after the wedding. They both loved their local Groupon massage, which we booked for them and scheduled into their visit. Not only were we able to give them the perfect gift, but we also saved a ton. Groupon’s deals are no joke, and we saved about half off the regular price of each massage, plus an extra 25% off coupon that was valid for a few days around the time of our purchase and 6% Cash Back.

While the moms were getting pampered, the dads and Ryan and I put their gift to good use: a foursome at the beautiful Napa Golf Course. They couldn’t have been happier, and we were happy to get some quality time with them — a gift for us as much as for them. Again, Groupon’s amazing built-in discounts gave us an incredible deal on the round, and an extra 20% off.

Savings

Ebates Cash Back savings: $20

Total saved at Groupon: $45

Total saved at Things Remembered: $40

Total saved on parents’ gifts: $85

Total saved on bridal party gifts: $470

To sum up all these incredible deals, we saved $470 on bridal party and parents’ gifts. These gifts came close to expressing our thanks to some of the most important people that made the day so wonderful.

Next up, I’ll recap all my wedding deals. Stay tuned to learn how much I was able to save on our wedding overall.

June 7, 2017

How I Saved More Than $1,600 on My Wedding: Attire

Shopping for our wedding attire was one of the most fun tasks on our pre-wedding to-do list. Attire fell under multiple categories in our budget, so we were able to cover a few bases at once. We wore some of the attire on our wedding day, some of it was for the rest of the weekend’s festivities and some we wanted to give as gifts to our groomsmen.

With the wedding set in wine country, we were looking for simple and rustic, but sweet. Thanks to some of the deals you’ll read about below and Cash Back at Ebates, we were able to achieve that and save more on wedding attire than we could have dreamed.

Overall, we were able to save $600 on our wedding attire. Here’s how:

Welcome Party

Ryan and I had wedding guests coming in from all over the U.S., and some from overseas. One of our objectives was to bring everyone together to meet and get all the niceties out of the way on Friday night so that by Saturday they could just party. So we hosted a welcome party at a bar near our venue.

I wanted to wear something to the welcome party that was bridal enough to look celebratory without overdoing it. I certainly didn’t want to outshine my own wedding dress, so I opted for a more casual white ruffled shirt dress, glammed up with killer shoes.

The dress was on sale at JCPenney, where we had the benefit of 6% Cash Back at Ebates and in-store pickup, which saved us on shipping. The shoes were on sale, and we discovered an extra 25% off coupon for Macy’s shoes through the Ebates button. All in all, we saved $55 on my welcome party outfit.

Savings:

Ebates Cash Back savings: $10

Total saved at JCPenney: $25

Total saved at Macy’s: $20

Total saved on welcome party attire: $55

Groom’s Suit

Ryan decided that purchasing his wedding suit online was the best choice for him, and we found a great deal at Men’s Wearhouse for a cool suit that fit his style perfectly. It was cool blue and complemented nicely by a light bow tie and leather suspenders. Thankfully, we had great deals and Cash Back at Ebates working for us, and the suit was on sale for 50% off. We saved $260 on Ryan’s wedding-day attire. Seriously.

A quick aside: Although Ryan found his suit online, I decided that purchasing my wedding dress in person was the best choice for me. I did, however, do some pre-shopping online and found some stunning dresses at Saks Fifth Avenue, which has a selection that’s especially appealing if you’re going for something beautiful and nontraditional.

Savings:

Ebates Cash Back savings: $10

Total saved at Men’s Wearhouse: $250

Total saved on groom’s wedding suit: $260

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Wedding Shoes

Our big day was set on a ridge overlooking a vineyard, which meant comfortable shoes were in order. I really wanted to avoid kicking off my pretty shoes for flip-flops at the end of the night (which I did anyway, because the bumping dance floor required it!). Comfort and style were my main criteria, and I found the perfect block heel pumps at Macy’s that were sweet and summery without too many frills.

For his wedding footwear, Ryan opted for a pair of classic leather oxfords, also from Macy’s. They were — you guessed it — on sale, which meant that we saved $30 right off the bat. At the time we purchased them, we learned through our Ebates Cash Back button that there was a 30% off coupon available for purchasing two pairs of shoes, saving us even more. Tack on the 6% Cash Back at Ebates and we were ready to dance the night away.

Savings:

Ebates Cash Back savings: $8

Total saved at Macy’s: $57

Total saved on wedding shoes: $65

Groom’s Accessories

To complete the groom’s look, we decided that bow ties and leather suspenders would come together perfectly for the sophistication and wine-country-chic style he was going for. We also thought it would work well to purchase the same bow ties and suspenders for the groomsmen as gifts to ensure they all matched.

Our Cash Back button told us there was a buy-one-get-one-free coupon available at Men’s Wearhouse for ties and an additional 50% off additional items — plus free shipping and 4% Cash Back — so we scooped up some classy bow ties for Ryan and the groomsmen that were perfect for our winery wedding. The tan leather suspenders we purchased from the Belt Outlet — where we enjoyed 5% Cash Back through Ebates — were 25% off and included free shipping, saving us a ton.

Savings:

Ebates Cash Back savings: $15

Total saved at Men’s Wearhouse: $140

Total saved at Belt Outlet: $65

Total saved on groomsmen outfits: $220

Total Saved on Wedding Attire: $600

Overall, we saved $600 on wedding attire thanks to deals and Cash Back at Ebates, which was quite the pleasant surprise. It opened up our budget for other incredible experiences, and put more money than expected back into our pockets.

Next up, I’ll share even more wedding deals. Stay tuned to learn how I was able to save big on gifts for our wedding party.

May 17, 2017

How to Throw the Best Bridal Shower Ever

Bridal showers don’t have to fall victim to the usual cliches. Instead of awkward games and raunchy entertainment, take the opportunity to hone in on what the bride-to-be really loves. Bridal showers are another opportunity to celebrate the bride’s originality and spirit. They should be fun! Here are five tips for how to plan a party that will please all the guests.

Decide on a Theme

Themes tie everything together and help all the planning details fall into place. If your bride’s wedding will take place in an exotic destination, pay tribute to the location with food, decor and gifts. Does your bride love Mexican food? Is she obsessed with spas and pampering beauty treatments? Has she always had a strange love of New Orleans? Allow her favorite things — even if it’s just colors she likes — to guide the way. To take it to the next level, keep in mind all five senses: touch, taste, sight, scent and sound.

Bring in a Statement Piece

You don’t have to go wild on super expensive food or cocktails. Experts say splurging on one attention-grabbing component will make all the difference. Ideas include a wow-factor cake, floral arrangements for the dinner table or even a musician to perform as guests arrive. Elevate the idea by researching the most outrageous cakes available in your area. Guests will go wild capturing it on social media.

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Make It Intimate

Sometimes it’s not the food or the decorations we remember, but how the occasion makes us feel. Invite guests to share their favorite memories of the bride or to make individual toasts in lieu of bringing basic gifts. Step up your bridal-party game by recording this part of the shower so the bride has a visual reference to return to whenever she wants.

Have Fun with the Food

It’s tempting to resort to tried-and-true bridal-party cuisine (mimosas, finger sandwiches), but really putting thought into interesting, eclectic dishes will have a huge impact. Peruse Pinterest, go through your local book store’s cookbook section and scour blogs to pull together a menu that takes guests out of their culinary comfort zones. For the maximum effect, invite one of your area’s best personal chefs to cook for guests at the party.

Invite the Groom to Participate in a Creative Way

There’s a trend in bridal-party games that involves the groom in a starring role. Before the party, invite the groom to answer questions about the bride in a playful way. Play the answers for guests during the shower, and allow the bride to chime in with her own responses. It’s a fun way to share a couple’s unique love story, and guests get a kick out of it. Don’t hold back! You can try creating a mini-movie of how the bride and groom met, or pull inspiration from the couple’s favorite love films.

May 16, 2017

How I Saved More Than $1,600 on My Wedding: Decor

For us, decor was one of the budget items that got thrown into the “miscellaneous” category. So as we approached the wedding day, we were looking for as many deals as we could find. In addition to flowers, there were other wedding decorations we wanted for our winery wedding to give it a personal touch and tie the whole day together. For bud vases and candles as centerpieces, string lights illuminating the outdoor dance floor and wedding favors decorating the dinner table, we budgeted $400.

In the end, we saved more than $200, essentially halving our budget. Here’s how:

Lights

One must-have for our Northern California wedding was dancing under the stars. To light the way for our guests, we chose classic round globe lights strung up overhead. These frosted white string lights from Lighting Direct were perfect for the soft glow and charming backyard-party ambiance we were going for. Between the 10% off coupon for string and rope lights that was available when we purchased, free shipping for orders more than $49 and 5% Cash Back at Ebates for Lighting Direct, we were able to save a pretty penny on our dance floor lights.

Savings:

Ebates Cash Back savings: $6

Total saved at Lighting Direct: $25

Wrapping a few strands of string lights around a couple trees was also among our wedding-decoration ideas. Since we were setting up our dance floor outside, it was crucial that the area was well lit. With these solar string lights we found on Overstock, we were happy not to have to worry about the major tripping hazard of electrical cords taped to the floor. And (bonus!) we were saving energy by powering our lights with the sun.

For our tree lights, we went with two packs of 225 solar-powered and long-lasting lights from Overstock. A free-shipping offer and 6% Cash Back at Ebates saved us a few bucks, and helped save the planet.

Savings:

Ebates Cash Back savings: $3.50

Total saved at Overstock: $10

Total saved on lights: $35

Centerpieces

Since we were doing a farm table for dinner with natural green-leafed garland down the center, our centerpiece needs were mainly to decorate our wine-barrel cocktail tables, the bar area and the dessert table. We preferred to keep it simple, with votive candles and bud vases for flowers at the center of the barrels.

Decorating the cocktail tables was the first priority. Even though we were looking at simple votive candles, candle holders and small bud vases, buying enough for tables for 100 guests meant preparing to spend. Luckily, we found some crazy-good deals at Pier 1 Imports, including clean-lined votive holders and ivory candles at a great price, with free shipping. Since Pier 1 was offering 15% Cash Back at Ebates, we decided to poke around for other decor goodies. We ended up discovering some adorable agate photo clips on clearance — saving us $30 — which we used as table-number holders at dinner.

Savings:

Ebates Cash Back savings: $25

Total saved at Pier 1: $75

We found bud vases at the Container Store. We went with vintage-looking glass milk bottles to hold our flower centerpieces on our wine-barrel cocktail tables. We saved $10 with a 15% off coupon that was available at the time of purchase, earned free shipping because our order was more than $75 and got 4% Cash Back at Ebates. And our wedding flowers couldn’t have looked sweeter.

Savings:

Ebates Cash Back savings: $3

Total saved at the Container Store: $25

Total saved on centerpieces: $100

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Favors

Part of our wedding favors included a little ode to San Francisco, where Ryan and I live. We wanted to pair a couple of our favorite Ghirardelli chocolates in a tiny sachet to place on each plate. Because we happened to be shopping on a triple Cash Back week at Ebates, we found some incredible savings at Ghirardelli. We saved $25 on our order thanks to 15% Cash Back, and our guests loved the personal touch.

Savings:

Ebates Cash Back savings: $25

Total saved at Ghirardelli: $25

Chocolates weren’t the only favors we decided to give out. I had seen small bottles of olive oil handed out at a few weddings on Pinterest, and I thought it was the perfect idea — especially for a California wedding. The winery where we were getting married was dotted with olive trees. This idea turned into a small DIY project that was well worth it and loved by everyone, and Michaels was our store of choice for the tiny bottles. Thanks to a buy-one-get-one-50%-off deal on swing-top bottles and 2% Cash Back, we were able to pour some local olive oil into each bottle with a thank-you tag for our guests. These were a huge hit!

Savings:

Ebates Cash Back savings: $3

Total saved at Michaels: $45

Total saved on favors: $70

Total saved on wedding decor: $205

Overall, we saved $205 on wedding decor, cutting our budget for that in half. An extra $200 went back in our pockets thanks to all the deals and Cash Back we discovered at Ebates. We’ll take it.

Next up, I’ll share even more wedding deals. Stay tuned to learn how I was able to save big on wedding attire.

May 4, 2017

How I Saved More Than $1,600 on My Wedding: Honeymoon

All in all, our goal was to indulge our inner honeymooners without blowing up our budget. WeddingWire’s 2016 Newlywed Survey showed that couples spent an average of $4,000 on their honeymoons last year, and I can only imagine those numbers going up — as most wedding-related things seem to do.

I’m happy to report we were able to save more than $500 on our honeymoon. Here’s how we did it.

Booking Honeymoon Flights

Ryan and I were determined to spend two weeks exploring Croatia for our honeymoon, with its crystal-clear coastal waters, rolling inland hills and ancient ruins.

We started by booking mid-week flights, which saved us significantly right off the bat. But the best savings we discovered when booking our flights together with the first two nights at our destination. We booked two round-trip flights from San Francisco to Dubrovnik, plus two nights at a hotel, through Expedia, saving a total of $300.

Savings

Total saved on flights to Croatia: $300

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik was the first stop of our honeymoon. We were prepared for some culture, sightseeing, nightlife and “Game of Thrones” geek-outs (Dubrovnik is the scene of the show’s famed King’s Landing). We decided to find honeymoon packages that would allow us to stay for three nights: one night to get our bearings after a long flight, and two full days to check out the town.

In Dubrovnik, we found a quaint, charming apartment-style hotel, Apartments Le Petit Nono. The accommodations were close to the old town harbor, which meant most of the sightseeing would be within walking distance. Because we booked through Hotels.com, we were able to score a special per-night rate, saving us $42. We also saved with a $5 off coupon and a $20 rebate at the time of booking, plus our 6% Cash Back at Ebates. Yay!

Savings

Ebates Cash Back savings: $86

Total saved in Dubrovnik: $86

Split

Split was our next honeymoon destination. Less than 150 miles from Dubrovnik, Split is known for its ancient and modern lifestyles combined in one picturesque destination. We wanted to fit in a little more ancient sightseeing while we were in this once-Roman-occupied region. That included touring Diocletian’s Palace, the ancient walls of Salona and the Klis Fortress (also known as Meereen in “Game of Thrones”) — and eating as much local fare as we could.

Our accommodations here were the most modest in Split. We wanted to spend most of our time out touring the city, eating the local grub and watching a few glowing sunsets. This helped us save some money, and we found some great specials by booking ahead through Expedia. We booked the aptly named Restaurant Pension Dioklecijan, and lucked out with $16 Cash Back at Ebates.

While we were in Split, Ryan and I wanted to take advantage of the acclaimed Croatian cuisine and brush up on our wine knowledge before heading up to wine country. This, we decided, was all best done with hands-on learning. We got a great deal on a wine- and food-tasting tour in the heart of Split by booking ahead of time on Expedia, and we took full advantage of 10% Cash Back at Ebates.

A trip to see the Blue Caves was a necessity if we were going to come close to the Dalmatian Coast, and Split was the best jumping-off point. We were ready to shell out to see the caves, which glow a magical blue, so we were thrilled to find a great deal on Orbitz for a daylong adventure that included snorkeling. We prepaid for our full-day speedboat and snorkel tour of five Croatian islands from Split, and we were able to earn 9% Cash Back at Ebates and save $25.

Savings

Ebates Cash Back on hotel: $16

Ebates Cash Back on food tour: $6.50

Ebates Cash Back on snorkel tour: $25

Total saved in Split: $47.50

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Istria

Among all the ancient ruins and beachfronts, I was most excited to include the peninsula of Istria in our honeymoon plans. As the wine center of Croatia, this peninsula is not just beaches and ruins (although it has those, of course). It’s full of vineyards and old port towns with an Italian flare. We decided to stay in Pula, a seaside town in the southern part of the peninsula with easy vineyard access. For a place to lay our heads, we booked a room through Expedia at City Point Rooms and More, where we got a great deal and $23 in Cash Back at Ebates.

Savings

Ebates Cash Back on hotel: $23

Total saved in Istria: $23

Hvar

Ryan and I determined that after more than a week of sightseeing, wine tasting and cobblestone-street ambling, we would be ready for a quiet, beachside retreat. That’s where we would splurge on accommodations fit for a pair of honeymooners. The island of Hvar would be perfect — devoid of mainland crowds and brimming with crystal-clear swimming holes. We pre-booked at Riva Hvar Yacht Harbour Hotel for a few days of luxury, pampering and relaxation. And, thanks to 6% Cash Back at Ebates by booking through Hotels.com, we saved $46 on our island accommodations.

Savings

Ebates Cash Back on hotel: $46

Total saved in Hvar: $46

To sum up all these incredible deals, I saved $502 on flights, accommodations and a few pre-booked activities for our honeymoon — crazy savings on a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Next up, I’ll share even more wedding deals. Stay tuned to learn how I was able to save big on wedding decor.

April 27, 2017

Wedding Guest Do’s and Don’ts

Wedding season is here. It’s time to prepare for weekends full of dancing, socializing and celebrating happy couples. Wedding guests have a responsibility to help make the day go as smoothly as possible for themselves and everyone else. That means making sure they do come prepared and don’t bug the couple or immediate family too much. Here are some critical do’s and don’ts for this season’s wedding fetes.

Do RSVP

Months of preparation go into planning a wedding, which means every single guest is accounted for. It can be a drag and a time-suck to have to track down every guest who hasn’t sent back the RSVP card. Save the couple a few hours of logistical work and RSVP on time — whether you’re sending a card in the mail or checking a box on a wedding website. They will appreciate it immensely!

Do prepare for any weather

How many times have you been caught unprepared for rain when the weather has been nothing but sun for weeks? Or how many times have you gotten a sunburn on half your face from sitting in the same place during the hottest part of the day? Stock up on facial sunscreen, grab a wedding-worthy sun hat and pack a picture-perfect umbrella in case the weather doesn’t go your way.

Do bring dancing shoes

Your shoes are adorable — truly the perfect complement to your carefree, summer wedding-guest dress. But weddings are long, and you don’t want to have to sit for the entire reception. Instead, you may consider ditching the stilettos after a couple of hours for some flats or flip-flops. And who says comfort has to compromise cuteness? Try these rose gold flip-flops from Havaianas to slip out of blistering heels and into an effortless night of fun. You might even make it to the after party.

Don’t text the bride or groom

Can’t find your way from the ceremony to the reception? Don’t know what time the post-wedding brunch is on Sunday? Don’t ask the busy, overwhelmed bride or groom. It may be tempting since they’re just a simple text away, but it’s not fair to burden them if you haven’t taken the time to visit their website. Plus, it may not be the most effective way to get a response.

Do book a room ahead

Unless you want to cramp someone’s style by ordering up a cot after you realize you don’t have a room for the night, book ahead. It’s the first rule for not being stranded after a long night of fun and cocktails. It sounds basic, but it happens. Find great deals at Hotels.com or Expedia.

Do buy a gift

It doesn’t have to be much, but a gift is a gesture of thanks for the wedding festivities (which surely cost the couple a pretty penny). It’s also a nice way to wish them all the best in their new marriage. If nothing else, a card from Greeting Card Universe will do. They have a huge number of congratulations cards for newlyweds, including a large selection for same-sex couples. And if you are attending more than one wedding this summer, buy in bulk to save on shipping.

Don’t criticize

There’s nothing more disheartening than a guest telling the newlyweds they weren’t a fan of the food or thought the ceremony was too long. If you have opinions — which is bound to happen for those of us who attend multiple weddings every summer — keep them to yourself or to those closest to you. Don’t let any negativity inadvertently dampen an otherwise wonderful day for the couple.

Do relax and have fun

The newlyweds and their families have gone out of their way to make the wedding as welcoming and fun for guests as possible. Forget what’s happening at work, the traffic you fought to get there and the price of the hotel room you booked for the weekend. While you’re there, do your best to enjoy the celebratory atmosphere and the food, and soak in the love from the happy couple — knowing you’re part of the inner circle!

April 26, 2017

Brides: How to Pack for Your Destination Wedding

Imagine yourself on a plane, heading to your wedding destination. You’re relaxed — a feeling that might only become a reality if your packing game is truly on. Put packing off until the last minute, and you could risk leaving behind something crucial. Give yourself more time and space than you think you need, and you likely will be the relaxed bride you deserve to be. Here are some ideas for packing for your destination wedding, and earning Cash Back from Ebates to spend on the honeymoon.

Start packing early

There are so many things to remember, so make yourself a wedding-planner checklist starting three weeks ahead of the wedding. Spend that week picking up any items you don’t have but need to take with you, including killer wedding shoes, rings, jewelry for the big day and any undergarments you might need. Two weeks out, you should start to populate your suitcase with purchased items. Don’t forget lingerie for the rest of the trip, wedding-day makeup, new beachwear, a beach bag and the other white dresses you’ll need. With one week to go, you should be as packed as possible. This also is a good time to make another wedding-planner checklist so you don’t forget things like your toothbrush and deodorant in the excitement of getting all the big stuff in your bag.

Keep your carry-ons organized

You will want to keep the dress, the marriage license, the carefully selected Etsy-made wedding rings and other essentials with you in the cabin of the plane. Otherwise, you’re taking a risk that your luggage won’t make it to the right place at the right time. The best way to manage the carry-on situation is to make sure your wedding dress is in a garment bag, like this one from eBags. Call ahead to your wedding hotel to make sure they have a steamer to get the travel wrinkles out of the dress. The dress is your carry-on, while a super well-organized bag can be your personal item. In here, you’ll want to keep all your critical documents, your passport and the rings in a secure pocket where they won’t roll around or fall out.

Think about the what-ifs

What if the dress you packed for the rehearsal dinner has some stubborn cat hairs on it? What if you drop airplane food on your favorite comfy T-shirt? What if the groom gets a painful sunburn the day before the wedding? There are so many things that could go wrong, and the nature of destination weddings makes it tough to get necessities at the last minute. It’s best to be prepared with random emergency items you can get from Walmart — things like aloe, a lint roller, travel stain remover, safety pins and a needle and thread. If there’s a wedding-day issue, you’ll be ready and relaxed instead of panicking.

Outsource suitcase space

If you and your fiance are planning to DIY a few things or looking for more space for wedding-day essentials, tap into a friend or close relative early. If you know you need to bring table cards, a guestbook or other supplies for crafting once you arrive, see if you can use some space in someone else’s bag. Securing your packing fallback space beforehand will allow him or her to plan on leaving extra room for you should you need it.